THE WEEK AHEAD | DEC. 21-DEC.27

By Mike Hale

Published: December 21, 2008

Television

Mike Hale

One of the funniest performances on American television over the last few months has been the work of a Welshman: Rob Brydon, who plays the golden-hearted, gadget-obsessed, most likely gay Uncle Bryn on the British sitcom ''Gavin & Stacey,'' which recently finished its run on BBC America. The possibility of a third season of the series remains a subject of intense speculation in Britain. (A Christmas special has been made and will be shown there on Wednesday.) In the meantime Mr. Brydon and one of his ''Gavin'' co-stars James Corden can be seen in a new episode of the cult car-enthusiast show ''TOP GEAR'' (BBC America, 8 p.m. Monday). They're the stars of the weekly segment ''Stars in a Reasonably Priced Car.''

Lisa Edelstein may not be the funniest performer around, but she is without a doubt the best sport in American television: every week the writers of ''House'' find new ways to embarrass her and her character, Dr. Cuddy, who is engaged in an excruciating mating dance with Hugh Laurie's Dr. House. Ms. Edelstein somehow manages to maintain her dignity while playing a 40-something dean of medicine who acts like a teenage girl. That bodes well for ''SPECIAL DELIVERY'' (Lifetime Movie Network, 8 p.m. Sunday), in which she plays an international courier hired to escort a teenage girl from China to her mother's home in America. Complications ensue, and soon the courier and her charge (played by Brenda Song of ''The Suite Life of Zack and Cody'') are on the run.